Drying rack



Feb. 12, 1929. 1,701,688

R. A. MOCALL DRYING RACK Filed March 20, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb, 12, 1929. 1,701,688

. R. A. McCALL DRYING RACK Filed March 20, 1928' 2 sneet-sneet" 2 Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED .STATESIPATENT OFFICE. A

ROBERT A. MCGALI1,OFMORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

DRYING- RAGLK Application filedzMarch: 20,1928. 7 Serial No. 263,150.

The invention will be hereinafterfully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rack constructed in accordance with the invention, illustrating one method of supporting the same. Figure 2 is a front view thereof. Figure 3 is a top plan view. Figure et is an enlarged sectional view on the line H of Figure 3. Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of one of the rack bars illustrating one of the gripping devices. Figures 6 and 7 are top and front-views respectively, illustrating the gripping device. Figure 8- is a sectional view illustrating a slight modification.

Referring to the drawings, 10, 10 designate,

a plurality of support bars constructed of any desired material, and connected in spaced relation by means of cross rods 11, to provide a rack body. The said rack body may be supported in any suitable manner, as for instance by belng pivoted at one end to a doorframe,

as indicated at 12, the free end being provided with a yoke-13, having a hook at one extremity thereof positioned to engage an eye 14, which is secured to an overhanging support, such as a ceiling (see Figure 1).

The support bars 10 are eachconstructed of a main body portion, as'shown, and provided with a depending longitudinalrib15, which preferably extends diagonally downwardly and forwardly. The lower-edge of said flange is provided with a stop shoulder 16. The body of the bar 10 is provided with two longitudinal grooves 17 and 18 in the top and bot tom portions respectively. A plurality of catch-supports 19 are provided, and may be constructed of any suitable material. It. is

preferred,however, to stamp each of said catch-supports out of sheet metal by cutting out a portion 20, and bending it away fromthe rest of the bodyportion so. as to provide two with flanges positioned to engage thegrooves 17,.and 18, above referred to. The catch-sup- ,ports may be passed over the end of a bar 10,

and slid along to the desiredposition after which they maybe left free to slide, or they maybe held against movement in suitable manner, as by punching out a portion thereof so as to penetrate the bar 10, as indicated at 23. Thefree end of the catch-support 1 9 is provided with parallel ears 24, ELHCltllQQX- tremity of said end. is turned inwardly, as indicated at to a positionibetweensaid. ears. Each member 19 supports a gripper or catch member 26, which is provided with a groove gripping jaws'21 and 22, which are equipped 27 inits under surface near one end, so posi- I tioned that it will receive the inturned extremity 25 of the catch-support, said extremity serving as a fulcrum for said pin. A spring 28 having one arm secured to the catchsupport 19, as indicatedat 29, bears upon the gripper member 26 in such manner as to normally hold its free end in contact with the stop shoulder 16. I

In Figure 8; is illustrated a slight modification of; the catch-support Referring to said figure, ,30' designates ametal bodyprovided with flanges 31 and 32 to engage the grooves 17 and 19 respectively,,the extremity of said member 30 being provided With ears 83, which support a plvot memberf 34, upon which the gripper pin 35 pivots. A suitable spring 36 serves to maintain the necessarytension upon the gripper pin to holdit in engagement with thesto-p flange 16. r

I In practice, any desired number of the rack barslO maybe assembled, as occasion may require, or but'asingleone of saidbars maybe I used, or but a single catch member .19, member 26, and body lOmay be employed as may be .required. Where a plurality of the bars 10 is employed, the raclrmay be pivotally and conveniently supported in any desiredmanner, such as illustrated in Figure 1, so that when it is not in use it may hang down against thewall or other support and be out of the way. In operation, the article to be supported is gripped between the flange 15v and the gripper member 26. In order to engage an article withthe gripping elements, the free end of the gripper member 26 is moved away from the flange 16, against the tension of the spring 28, and a portion of the article is placed over said flange. The gripper member 26 is then released and the spring 28 will cause it to firmly grip the article between the end of the pin and the flange 16 in such a manner that it will not readily become disengaged. If, however, it is desired to remove the article, it is only necessary to slightly lift the free end or" the gripper member 26, and the article I may be Withdrawn without difficulty.

The advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it belongs. For instance, it will be readily understood that it may be made up of any desired size to suit ditl'erent requirements and supported in any convenient location. The gripper members may be made larger or smaller according to the size or character of the goods to be supported. A

further advantage is that in view of the fact Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms, in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what isclaimed is 1. In a rack of the character described, an article gripping device comprising an elongated support member consisting of a body provided with a depending longitudinal rib, a catch support having one end in engagement with and supported bysaid first mentioned support member, the other end being free and spaced from said rib, and a gripper member movably mounted in the free end of said catch support and positioned to engage said rib, so as to grip an article between said rib and said catch member.

2. In a rack of the'character described, an article engaging device comprising a support member provided witha depending stop portion, a catch support having jaws at one end constructed to have a slidable engagement with said first mentioned support member and having its free end extending in front of and spaced from said stop portion, and a gripper member movably mounted in the free end of said catch support and positioned to engage the said stop portion, so as to grip the article to be supported between them.

3. In a rack of the character described, an

article engaging device comprising a support member provided with top and bottom grooves and a depending stop portion, a catch support having jaws at one end provided with flan es extending into said grooves, sa1d catch support having a downwardly and forwardly inclined body extending in front pi and in spaced relation with respect to said stop portion, a gripper member movably supported by the free end of said catch supportand positioned to engage said stop portion, and a spring acting to norm ally maintain sa1d gripper member in engagement with said stop portion.

4. In a rack of the character described, a support provided with a depending stop portion, a catch support extending forwardly and downwardly from said first mentioned support and in spaced relation with respect to said stop portion, the extremity of said catch support being turned inwardly to provide a fulcrum, a gripper member having a grooved portion in one end engaging said iulcrum, and means for yieldably holding said gripper member in engagement with said stop portion.

5. In a rack o'fthe character described, an article engaging device comprising a support provided with a depending stop portion, a catch support extending forwardly and downwardly from said first mentioned support and in spaced relation with respectto said stop portion, said catch support being provided with spaced apart ears and having its lower extremity bent inwardly to a position between said ears, a gripper member pivotally mounted upon said inturned extremity and guided between said ears, and a spring supported by said catch support and acting upon said gripper member to normally hold it in engagement with said depending stop portion.

6. In a rack of the character described, an

engaging device comprising a support provided with a depending rib having a stop flange, a catch support having one end provided with jaws engaging said-first mentioned support so as to be sustained thereby, said catch support extending forwardly and downwardly from said first mentioned support and'provided with spaced apart ears near its lower end, the extremity of said catch support contiguous to saidears being turned'inwardly, a gripper member provided with a grooved portion at one end having a movable engagement with the inturned extremity of the catch support, and a spring supported by said catch support and having a portion bearing against said gripper member so as to hold the free end of the gripper member in engagement with said stop flange.

7. A rack of the character described comprising a plurality of article gripping devices each consisting of an elon ated support member having a body provided with a depending rib with a shoulder on one edge thereof, a catch support having one end in engagement with and supported by said support member, the other end being free and spaced from said shoulder, and a gripper member mounted in the free end of said catch support and positioned to engage said shoulder, so as ROBERT A. MoCALLQ 

